Details

An ale version of the light, fizzy American lager style, cream ale is a specialty of the eastern US. Our Cream Ale is medium-bodied and smooth, gold in color and low in bitterness; the specialty grain blend adds some complexity with a clean, sweet malt profile and a hint of buttered toast in the aroma and flavor. A homebrewed “lawnmower beer” is pretty hard to beat as a summertime thirst-quencher.

Customer Reviews

This was one of the first beers i made about about 8 months and 15 batches ago. I added 3 lb of peach puree to the secondary and it turned out amazing I wish i still had some left . (Posted on 8/28/14)

Very smooth beer w/ just a hint of bitterness. Brewed this one twice - first one fermented in the 64-66 range, second in the 70-72 range. Used dry yeast option both times. First fermentation bubbles for a week, second for two days. Both tasted good, first one was probably more accurate to what the intention was. Second one had slight off taste, but cleared after sitting a few weeks. This beer is super easy to drink, easy to brew and goes very quickly. My wife who only drinks Coors actually liked this one. (Posted on 7/28/14)

This is my 1st brew, so I was expecting it to be decent. I was surprised at how good it came out. Kit was simple to follow. I did a late extract addition and also used a large enough kettle for a full volume boil. I adjusted the hop additions accordingly using BeerSmith. This beer came out light, with floral notes and a crisp finish with just a hint of hops at the end. A great summer beer! Will definitely brew again. The late extract addition kept the color light and close to the depiction on this page. Leave it in the fermenter at least 2 weeks, you will be rewarded with better beer. (Posted on 7/16/14)

I've brewed this twice, and each time I added 1 oz of Citra hops with 10 minutes left in the boil. It added a slight hoppy/grapefruit finish that everybody LOVES! I will be ordering kit #3 soon! (Posted on 7/10/14)

This kit was easy to make and turned out great! Very good summer-type beer. My only addition was a pound of honey at the end of the boil. Added a bit of extra fermenting time but did not rack to a secondary. Let it bottle condition for a month and seems just about right on the timing. Nice color and head.

This was my first Northern Brewer (NB) kit and one of my first brews, after making fruit wine for a number of years. NB has great products and they seem always willing to help. In my experience making beer and wine, freshness of ingredients is critical to quality. NB appears to agree. Will be a repeat customer! (Posted on 7/3/14)

This blows away all the light non offensive craft brew ale offerings here in California, some of which dominate the shelves in all the stores here, this is definitely going to keep me busy brewing this for all my friends, if your tired of all the ipa fad and want a beer that goes down easy but has flavor, this is the beer for you. (Posted on 6/21/14)

Well, added 1lb Belgium clear candy and fermented with WLP530 Abbey Ale Yeast. I'd share but I think you should try it out for yourself. Fermentation temperature was at 78 degrees for 9 days. Transferred to a secondary over a layer of 4 lbs of Mango puree the wife and I made and let it sit for two weeks, kegged for two weeks and it was fantastic. Basically no longer a Cream Ale...

This brew turned out so great! Low hops, nice fresh creamy finish that leaves you wanting more. This is a great go to beer for after mowing the lawn or just to drink with a burger. Love this one, even a little more than the caribou slobber. (Posted on 6/8/14)

This was my 2nd brew and boy was I glad I did it. I think the reviews this site offers come in really handy because I took the advise of other home brewers and added 2 lbs of Orange blossom honey and I also did a tincture of 1 vanilla bean and 1 oz of sweet orange peel while it was fermenting and added it when I kegged it. I think the vanilla made it slightly sweet but after it sat for a week it died down, either way it was still an awesome beer. Unfortunately the beer only lasted 3 weeks so it didn't even get sufficient time to condition. I already re-ordered this to kit to brew this weekend. This time I'll be taking the advise of other brewers and adding citra hops at 15 min. Can't wait to see how it turns out, beersmith says I'll be at 49 IBU, but we will see. (Posted on 5/30/14)

Brewed this about a month and a half ago. Did roughly 2.5 weeks in primary then about a week , week and a half in secondary. Final gravity was 1.012 or 1.010. Tried one at 10 days in bottle, tasted good but no carbonation.. tried one four days later and was fully carbd. I think NB does a good job with their summary, a good tasting lighter cream ale, but with a more buttered taste flavor. (Posted on 3/20/14)

So this is advertised as a 4 week brew.....id say give it more time in the fermented and weigh out your corn sugar if you are bottling it......this will minimize any potential for an old faithful occurrence. Otherwise tastes great....had one a year after I brewed it and tasted fantastic (Posted on 2/24/14)

I normally prefer darker beers but I absolutely love this ale. Light like a lager but with a nice tang that I really enjoy. It goes with just about any food and is also great for sipping in front of the TV. The kit really is an "Easy Brew" as advertised. Very vigorous fermentation was over in 3-5 days. No need for secondary and ready to drink in less than a month. Will definitely make this one again. (Posted on 1/23/14)

This is the first time I used NB for a Cream Ale. Started with a OG of 1.041 and finished with a FG of 1.007. I had it in the primary for 1 week, secondary for 2 weeks, and cold conditioned 1 week under pressure. This is a nice light easy dinking beer. I will be keeping this one in the rotation. I normally don't give a high rating to anything because there is always room for improvement, but not this time. (Posted on 1/6/14)

add 3 lbs of orange blossom honey at beginning of boil, 1 week primary, 2 weeks secondary, started drinking after 2 weeks bottle conditioning but had its best test at 2 months in the bottle. My friends swear that I used bananas since they could taste them. At 2 months bottle conditioning, beer had a nice smooth creamy taste and due to the 3 lbs of honey at beginning of boil much higher ABV (Posted on 1/1/14)

This kit came out great! I used WLP001 with a starter and added 1 lb of orange blossom honey at flameout to sweeten it up a tad and up the ABV. Everything else I did was exactly as the recipe instructed. I fermented 2 weeks in the primary, controlling temp at ~64* F for the first 5-7 days, then let it climb up to room temp for the remaining week or so. Bottled with 2/3 cup corn sugar as instructed.

The beer turned out a bit darker than the photo. I'm guessing that's mostly due to all the LME, but the honey may have contributed a little to that too. The only way I can describe this beer is that it smells and tastes "beery". It's like your run of the mill yellow lager from the grocery store but with more balls, body and flavor. And it has a nice dry finish that I absolutely adore (that may be thanks to the WLP001 w/starter). I'm a snobby craft beer nerd and I've been guzzling this stuff down like mad. But at the same time, my wife, who is not a craft beer fan, has been drinking this just as much as me.

I don't like handing out 5-star reviews because I don't believe in perfection, but this kit deserves it. It's cheap, quick, easy, delicious and makes a great base for experimentation. What more can you ask for? (Posted on 12/27/13)

Not my favorite style, personally, but this was brewed as a Christmas gift for my father--I think the kit turned out exactly as it was supposed to. In fact, I was worried that brewing such a light beer would allow the "LME tang" to shine through, but this beer finished up very clean and nice. I think a nice big yeast starter helped it clean up so nicely--the fermentation was so vigorous it poured out of the airlock for almost two days! Overall, nice product, if cream ales is what you are looking for. (Posted on 12/9/13)

I made this in Feb 2013. Was not a fan of it and gave almost every bottle away. Was at work and my coworker had the cream ale stocked....we opened it and he was like OH MAN this is awesome...and im like naaaaw man ...went and tried it sure enough 8 months after it opened up and was a perfectly round beer. Gotta give it to ya NB this one surprised the heck outta me!!! (Posted on 12/8/13)

hell yes this beer is the one that you can tweak with ease. have it in the keg right now after sweet orange peel in the second stage. will do a follow up tonight when i pop the top. (Posted on 12/7/13)

I brewed this first with dry yeast came out great but the yeast must have fell dormant as it did not carbonate.. And I had to dump it(no way of force carbing) Talked to the guys a NB and they replaced the kit and used the liquid option. And I must say this is one of the best beers I have brewed..I absolutely love it. (Posted on 11/3/13)

This is a good kit, its not my favorite but many of my friends really like this beer. It is a good cross over from light beer into the craft beer world. This is a beer that both light beer drinkers and beer nerds can get behind. Good body, light hops, and just a touch of yeast. (Posted on 9/20/13)

I've brewed two batches of this kit. Both times, comes out with a slightly darker/amber pale color compared to the pictures, even with a late extract edition. With the low primary time and no secondary, the beer seems to carb in the bottles rather quickly and is ready to drink much sooner than if you secondary. Has a distinct light crystal malt "taste" that was consistent on both batches. A mild beer with mild body and is enjoyed by most beer drinkers. Those friends who prefer the lighter lagers with enjoy this beer. In fact, it didn't last very long as I had most of it consumed by me and my friends/neighbors before it was even bottle conditioned properly. Use half a whirlfloc tab 5 minutes before the end of your boil to rid your batch from the chill haze. Not sure if I would ever try to use a flavor extract on this batch. You could even try to dry hop if you prefer a more hoppier taste, as this comes out clean and almost a hop free aroma taste at finishing. (Posted on 9/17/13)

I think this was a great beer for the style and price. I think it was a little light on flavor compared to what I usually like.... but I expected that and that's why I wanted to try it. Great summer beer on a hot day and a great one to share with friends who usually avoid the dark and/or hoppy beers. (Posted on 9/17/13)

I have brewed this three times - the third is currently fermenting happily @ 62 degrees. Love it! It goes down wicked easy. Super tasty. I think conditioning is key though... Be patient. If possible; lager it - a few weeks. Turns into a mellow beauty. Blows away commercial brew. No where close to a Genesee. Million times better. (Posted on 9/13/13)

First time making this and look forward to the next time already. This is definately an easy drinker. My wife likes lite beers and doesn't care for ales but really likes this one. Is on my list to make again!!! (Posted on 9/2/13)

I finished 3rd in a big competition with this kit, so I gave it another go, this time with 1 lb of honey. I chose orange blossom honey, and put it in when the wort had cooled to ~100F so the excellent aromatics wouldn't be boiled off. It was a MAJOR hit at beach weekend. This is absolutely a worthwhile addition/modification to this otherwise excellent recipe. (Posted on 8/26/13)

I'm finding that most of the brews have a "wish" date for the product to be finished. Two weeks after the bottling and the Cream Ale has no flavor. Pretty sure it should have some flavor. I added the recommended amount of raspberry to the last 2 gal and it still has no flavor. It's a weak beer with no indication of alcohol content at all. I drank two and didn't even get a buzz. If you're looking for something with flavor then look somewhere else. If you're looking for an easy and quick brew that tastes "very" light then this is your beer. I made this for a friend of mine who likes bud light. He seems to like it. My wife will probably drink the rest of it and I'll keep drinking my Irish Red. (Posted on 8/8/13)

Made this for a summer get together because some family and friends don't like IPA's or dark beers. They liked it and my homebrew friends also thought it was great. I think they will brew up a batch or two too. (Posted on 7/27/13)

No need to tweek on this one..........it is perfect right outa the box. I make about 4 batches of this stuff a year. Can't wait to take the next step & start kegging, I bet it is unbelievable on draft. (Posted on 7/16/13)

My father and I have enjoyed home brewing for quite sometime. We have enjoyed several nb kits, and created a few of our own. However, every summer we look for that easy crowd pleaser...this is it. Enough flavor for the beer critic and simple enough for the bl ml cl drinker. Extremely forgiving ale if kegging. If any of you have a father in law who only drinks bud...keg this and throw it down his gullet...best son in law ever. (Posted on 7/12/13)

I bought this kit because I needed a good summer beer. It was really easy to brew. I kegged it after about 10 days and it was tasting good right away after being carbed. Grain to glass about 2 weeks. My wife who only likes bmc light beers even liked this one. (Posted on 7/12/13)

So I decided to make this for my Brother's Annual Pig Roast. Just finished 2 weeks in the bottle. So I put 2 in the fridge and next day drank them both. So I put another 2 in fridge and drank those after work. I just put some more in fridge.....I hope there is some left to bring to Pig Roast! Yes, I like it, you will too. Excuse me, gotta go get another beer.....:-) (Posted on 7/11/13)

I brewed this about a month ago, let ferment for the prescribed two weeks. I added a lb. of honey after the boil (no contamination its honey). I then kegged it. While in my keezer the flavor has changed a lot, as well as the clarity. It was very yeasty at first. It also has a distinct lactic acid flavor. A bit of sourness. That has abated the longer it has sit in the keezer. At first I wasn't so pleased, but now I would say that its tasty. It is very plain, for sure. So is bell's oberon, for that matter, but also tasty. I think its just a good idea to brew a lot and often so that you can afford to wait the prescribed time. I like it, next time I will dry hop it and add more honey. I couldn't measure the initial gravity so not sure how potent it is, but it seems to do the job. 4 stars. (Posted on 6/24/13)

I have to give it 5 stars. I made this on kind of a whim with no major expectations. I thought it was just "good" but everyone in the local beer club had a higher opinion of it. The one judge in the group thought it wasn't a very good example of a cream ale but still was a good drinking beer with no major flaws. I entered it in Carolina Brewmasters US Open with no real expectations of it placing, and it finished 3rd with 36.5 points. Not only was it an extract kit, I did a partial boil with it. Amazing. Judges loved it. You can make some really good beer with NB extract kits, and this apparently is one of them... (Posted on 6/10/13)

Love this kit. Have made it several times and is a great kit to experiment with. Mix this at bottle time with a bit less than a dram of LorAnn's Watermelon extract and you have an amazingly refreshing summer ale that disappears quickly. (Posted on 6/7/13)

4th brew. turned out amazing! not what it was supposed to be but still great. i had the heat on my burner set a little to high and wasnt paying the closest attention so the malt scorched a bit. as we know, burnt malt sugar doesnt ferment. so, i got a slightly darker cream ale that was sweeter than normal with a hint of roasted flavor. probably couldnt recreate it if i tried, which is a shame because it tastes amazing!!! (Posted on 5/30/13)

I've brewed almost 20 batches so far and most have come out well. I've been tweaking some of my batches and others I leave to following the exact recipe! This one I followed to the letter and it is by far the best!

I tried to make it last longer by admiring it in the bottle, then in the pour, and then in the glass (for a little while), then DAMN, it's gone!

My wife says the definition of a split second is the time between finishing the last sip of this beer and the run to the fridge for another! Being a good wife she sometimes saves my energy by having the next Cream Ale ready to pour! British wives understand.

I may have to brew two next time and add some honey at the end on one, as some have suggested. I just don't know if it can be much better! (Posted on 5/23/13)

Made this for a fundraiser and it was great! I made it especially for those who like those "light" beers and they loved it! It has plenty of character for it being a lighter beer as I'm a total hop head and surprisingly, this was very pleasant for me to down a few at a time (didn't taste like that mass produced watered down stuff that makes you cringe each time you take a sip). Primary for 3 weeks, keg for 2 weeks (then served) and it tastes better than ever at 4 weeks in the keg. It keeps getting better with age. I will be making this one for my wedding in July which will be perfect for the hot weather in eastern Washington :) (Posted on 5/21/13)

This was my second homebrew batch and it turned out perfect. Left in Primary for the 2 weeks then bottled. Tried one after a week and knew I had a good batch going. Everyone who has tasted it says it is very good and they are mostly light beer drinkers.
This batch just keeps getting better with age. Almost gone now after 4 weeks in the bottle so time to brew another batch this weekend. (Posted on 5/7/13)

Ok this is our 3rd brew and we couldn't wait to try it. Therefor it only got to sit through 1st fermentation for 2 weeks and one week in the bottle. Yes, it needs a little bit more carbonation but WOW AWESOME. I can't explain it but it is perfect. We are going to try and make it into a Jalepeno Cream Ale. Will keep you informed as to how it turns out. Cheers all (Posted on 4/7/13)

I've brewed this a few times, and it is just my favorite beer ever. General crowd pleaser also for those less initiated with beer brewing. Love, love, love. Always need this in my beer closet rotation! (Posted on 3/21/13)

I've brewed this three times now, the last two I modified the recipe. This latest batch is a "honey bourbon barrel cream ale". I added 2lbs honey at flame out, and put bourbon soaked jack Daniels oak chips in seconday. Very pleased!! It's a lighter version of KBC's bourbon barrel ale. (Posted on 2/17/13)

I'm very impressed by this kit. It's a great stoop night beer. We split the batch in half for seconday and dry hopped 1/2 with Ahtanum. It was great! I would make this recipe again. (Posted on 1/20/13)

I gave this beer 3 stars 3 weeks ago...thats when the beer had been bottled for 2 weeks. This beer is EXACTLY what I wanted and what I had in-mind. WOW. I will give this 4 stars now. I'm not giving it 5 because it's a sweet but other than that, I love it. Here is my original review: I used this beer to modify my first beer kit and it was a big mistake. I added about 1oz of fresh ginger to the last 15 min of the boil. It's only been bottled for about 2 weeks so I'm hoping something is going to happen so I can drink it. (Posted on 12/21/12)

I brewed this Cream Ale as my 3rd ever 5 gal batch. The only variations from the instructions were added 1/3 LME at beginning and balance at 50 mins. And I added in 1/2 oz of crushed orange peel at 50 mins. 17 days in primary and bottled. Tried one at 2 weeks conditioning and was extremely impressed with the flavor, though still slightly under-carbed. Another week it should be perfect. My best batch so far. The wife and I love it for an every day drinker. I can see making 2-3 batches of this before summer just for cutting the grass. (Posted on 12/12/12)

cream ale with 2 oz of peach extract 5 gal batch served in frosted mug with a thin slice of peach on rim of glass is to die for cant keep company away now doing ten gal at a time to keep up with demand (Posted on 12/12/12)

I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome of my first batch. All my friends enjoyed the quality of this ale with no complaints from anyone except,quantity of samples available. Will make again (Posted on 10/25/12)

I got a cream ale kit from another "major" brewer, and was not impressed at all, so I was a little hesitant getting this one. I must say, to my surprise, this was a great beer, and I'd definitely purchase again. Tasted very smooth and not too hoppy. (Posted on 10/22/12)

as lawnmower beers go, this is one of the best. slightly sweet and fruity up front with nice dry finish. great thirst quencher. i like doug's idea - late addition of citra hops. trying that next time around. (Posted on 10/9/12)

I got rhis kit based on the style of beer. I had never tried a cream ale so I went for it. This beer is light with a malty feel in the mouth. I found myself drinking them pretty fast during the summer. I will be brewing this again since it defiantly a session beer. Next time I will be adding some extra corn sugar to boost the Abv%. (Posted on 10/4/12)

Brewing is very simple, and primary took the full 2 weeks. Mine needed a blowoff system for sure, pretty violent, so I'd recommend that to anyone trying this. As far as taste goes, I like it. The creamy flavor is definitely there, and it has the best carbonation of any beer I've brewed so far. I'm giving it a 4, purely because I seem to be the only one who likes it over some of my other homebrews! (Posted on 9/24/12)

This turned out different than expected. Fermented with the dry yeast @ 74 degrees and carbed with table sugar. After one week in the bottle it is fully carbonated and had a fruity strawberry aroma as well as flavor. The strawberry is not over powerIng or overly sweet as some of the strawberry beers I've had so it was a nice surprise. I've only had two so I am anxious to see if that hint of strawberry mellows out over time. I could see myself having a few of these without getting that "sick" feeling most strawberry beers give me. Good brew, will probably do again, but the search will continue to find my perfect 4 week beer. For the price and time, it is definitely worth a try. I'm sure the strawberry is probably due to something wrong temp wise on my part. Curious to see if anyone else had that experience??, but overall.... Not bad (Posted on 8/17/12)

Awesome taste. This is NOT the the creme ale fron NY that starts with a G. Malt up front with a nice hop taste on the backside. Drinking a 6 pack of this one is way too easy. Goes down smooth and fast. 54 cents a bottle. What a deal for craft beer. (Posted on 8/17/12)

Brewed on 3/17/12, wasn't terribly impressed after 2-4 weeks in the bottle, although it did get better as time passed. Although drinkable I wasnt sure I would brew it again. My wife poured me a cold one last night (7/31/12) and wow, it was great, I had to ask her what it was cause I couldn't tell. It wasn't the cream ale I drank before. Give this one sometime and you will be pleased. I will definitely brew this one again and give it some time. (Posted on 8/1/12)

This recipe turned out fantastic. Its a smooth, very drinkable beer to have for yourself while relaxing outside, to offer others who don't like a big bold and/or hoppy beer, or even for cooking. I'll certainly make this one again. (Posted on 7/31/12)

For fun we brewed two of these kits the same day with different yeasts. One with Wyeast 1056 ale yeast and the other with Wyeast 2112 lager yeast. The 1056 is good, but we both felt the 2112 is the better tasting by far. (Posted on 7/24/12)

1 week in primary and then I split this batch in half. I racked 2.5 gallons over about 1.5 pounds of freshly pureed raspberries from my neighbors garden. 1 week in secondary and then one week in a keg to prep it for a neighborhood beer tasting. It was all gone in 2 days. Everybody loved it. Even though it wasn't really ready it was one of the better beers I've made. The 2.5 gallons of regular cream ale lasted another 2 weeks and just got better as it sat in the keg. I'll be doing this one again. (Posted on 7/23/12)

I put this kit together but added 2lbs of orange clover honey towards the last half of the boil. After putting it in the secondary carboy I put a few ounces of sweet orange peel in it. I racked it a couple days ago but couldn't wait because the smell was killing me during bottling. So I agitated a bottle for a day and put it in the fridge last night. Wow, only two days and this stuff glided down my throat making a happy dance all the way down, My GF said it was the best beer she ever tasted. I'm solidifying the recipe as we speak and will be revisiting it very soon. (Posted on 7/22/12)

To call this a lawnmower beer does not do it justice. This type of beer is the reason I got into homebrewing back in the mid 80's. Excellent, balanced drinkable beer that everybody will like. Much more complexity than a PBR or MGD and very pretty in the glass. In this era of extreme hops and high alcohol, this beer brings back the joy of a good basic beer. (Posted on 7/10/12)

The taste was just okay. Nothing special. Will not be making it again, as there are so many other much more interesting extract kits to make instead. Speckled Heifer partial mash kit was just as easy to make and tasted phenominally better. (Posted on 6/15/12)

I think I have one of those nice little enigmas with this cream ale. I got this kit as I have a guilty pleasure of enjoying Genesee Cream Ale. The Cream ale started out with a very simple taste similar to my old favorite, but as the days wore on, the brew has taken on a very familiar taste of another brew I enjoy not too often because of it's price tag. One that some in the craft brew community might recognize as New Belgium's "Fat Tire". This is a very bread or biscuity (malty) brew. I had thought that when I did this brew, my boil went a little longer than recommended with the result of a more concentrated boiled wort. I think this little slip up on my part created a exceptionally close clone! (Posted on 6/14/12)

Was skeptical at first as to how creamy this cream ale would be. Turned out to be a great beer. Very simple to make. Will be making my third batch of it in the next few weeks here. Can't wait to enjoy it on a warm day while sitting on my patio. (Posted on 6/4/12)

This was my third home brew and it came out great. A little darker than the NB pic but all the taste notes are on target. Much better after the third week in bottles. I'd brew this one again. (Posted on 5/30/12)

This is the first kit we finished. 2 Weeks in primary and 1 week in bottles...couldn't wait any longer and had to try it. Probably not fully carbed, but everyone likes it NOW...this is gonna go fast if it gets better with age. Will order again. Thanks NB! (Posted on 5/22/12)

This is a really good beer - light, crisp, and very drinkable. This hits the spot on a warm day. Much more rich and full of flavor than Little Kings but the same hop character - as I remember,..... it has been a LONG time since I've had one (or 8) of those little green bottles. And of course, no skunk aroma in my brew. I'll keep this on tap this summer or a good quenching, or for the lighter brew crowd. Another NB kit that hits the mark for me! Hear-Hear my friends,.... no one shall be thirsty for lack of great beer in my home. AGRAY (Posted on 5/5/12)

I added 1lb of honey at the end of the boil just before cooling, then followed the directions for fermentation and put it straight in corny keg. Absolutely DELISH! Wowsa! The honey added just enough body and aroma but wasn't overpowering. I hosted our brew club and the guys couldn't get enough of it! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this kit. (Posted on 4/28/12)

I made this into a raspberry cream ale! Oh my god this was sooo good! 1 week in primary, 2 weeks secondary, and then we added the raspberry fruit filling for an additional 2 weeks. If I was to do this again, I think I would've added the raspberry for just a week because it was a bit bitter. Super refreshing beer for the summer. This will be made again for sure! (Posted on 4/25/12)

Seriously, If you have not brewed this kit yet, you should buy it now. I followed the directions exactly and used White Labs California Common ale liquid yeast and this beer turned out amazing. I did 2 weeks in the primary and bottled. At 1 week it was fully carbonated and tasted amazing! It turned out a clear golden color, slightly darker than the picture above with great head retention. My batch has a slightly sweet floral smell, an initial ester flavor followed by creamy grain. Light bodied. Really a good beer... and this is just after 1 week in the bottle. (Posted on 4/22/12)

We've just moved and space is at a premium, so I used a kit just to keep things simple. I was very impressed with the beer. I did add cascade hops at the end for a nice finish. Overall, a good beer that I will brew again! (Posted on 4/20/12)

This was my second batch ever. Very straight forward recipe. Two weeks in primary and straight to bottling. After one week in the bottle, I opened one. Yum! Very smooth and drinkable. Next time I'll do one week primary and one week secondary for clarity, and there will be a next time. A great quick brew. (Posted on 4/18/12)

This was my second beer and it turned out fantastic. It's an easy boil and as straight forward as you can get. This will be great to drink this spring when it gets hotter...if it lasts. I highly recommend this for a first time brewer. (Posted on 4/17/12)

This was my very first brew and everyone who has tried it wants more. I have had requests from several individuals to brew a whole batch just for them. I used the US-05 yeast. I varied from the recipe a bit in that I used half the extract at the beginning of the boil and added the rest with 10 minutes of boil left. I fermented cold, 59F-62F, and bottled. After 21 days at room temp and 7 days in the fridge, this beer is dangerously smooth and creamy with the creamiest head I have ever seen. Loads of super-fine bubbles. (Posted on 4/11/12)

Let me first say that this was my first 5 gal extract kit that I made. I am fairly new to the world of homebrew, however I am no stranger to a great tasting beer. I am not a hophead at all and was looking for a basic summer beer to crush at the ball park or on a nice summer night. This is it!!

I brewed with the Wyeast American Ale yeast and followed the directions to a tee as per the kit instructions. 2 weeks in the fermenter (although it was done after a week per the hydro measurements) and I batch primed into 12 ozers and bottle primed for 2 more weeks.
The beer as one would expect from an extract kit is a bit darker than a traditional cream ale however it had a nice almost clear, slightly hazy cream ale translucency. I could care less about the color…how does it taste? With a clean glass in hand and a deft pour the beer yields an awesome head and the aroma spills out a floral bouquet of delicate, clean hops. The beer has a great hop/malt balance. The hops are there, however they are supporting the flavor and are not the overwhelming factor. The beer is incredibly clean and crisp. Lacing on the glass was awesome.

For those first time homebrewers this is a great kit. It’s easy and yields excellent results that are sure to placate even the most discerning beer drinker.(Posted on 4/10/12)

Just started brewing a few months ago, and this was our second kit. WOW! Awesome finished result and my wife loves it too! Looks like we will be brewing another batch of this very soon. (Posted on 4/7/12)

My first batch of beer, well I made it so had to drink it. Well I did not wait long enough, This one is my second batch of beer. And I had a bottle of it in the fridge for testing but was not going to try tonight. But I opened it by accident. OMG its awesome, I will be ordering more of this beer. (Posted on 4/4/12)

2 weeks in the primary and 4 weeks bottle conditioning....what a great beer! Very nice head and carbonation. Very crisp. Beautiful light copper color. Hops show up just a little at the end. Very nice (Posted on 3/31/12)

I would highly recommend this brew for everyone!!! This beer appeals to anyone who is willing to taste a beer! My wife loves wine and she is pretty snobby when it comes to beer, but she said that she even likes the smell of the creamy foam head! That my friends is a good sign!!! Enjoy!!! (Posted on 3/30/12)

I brewed this cream ale 3 weeks ago. I did 2 weeks in primary and it was done and it's been in the keg for 1 week now and it is great.
I modified by adding 1lb of flaked corn (to add more "creaminess") and .5lb more honey malt (to "sweeten" it a little more). I split the LME addition in half. Half in the beginning and the other half at 15 minutes to keep the color on the lighter side. I also added irish moss and yeast nutrient and fermented with US-05. I added 1 oz of Saaz hops at 10 minutes to give a little lager type of aroma. I fermented at 62* to give it a clean flavor. I even dry-hopped with 1 oz of Cascade leaf hops to give it a better hop aroma in addition to the Saaz.
With my modifications it ended up to be an aweseom ale somewhere between a cream ale and a pale ale. Quite crisp and clean with a subtle hop flavor and aroma that is just a little more than a standard cream. I think this is a great beer and I may make it again for this summer.
Despite not using a secondary on this beer. It is EXTREMELY clear, but I did use irish moss as stated earlier and I cold crashed for 36 hours prior to racking. (Posted on 2/21/12)

Ok, this will be my 3rd batch I ever brewed and I'm going to try to boost the OG with 1lb sugar candy and 1lb of pilsen DME. Adding booth at 30min. so if I'm about to really screw this recipe some one help me out please. I'm also using a yeast started but that is also my first attempt at that to with no stir plate. Brewing the batch tomorrow so if anyone can stop me from really screwing up let me know. (Posted on 2/20/12)

Have brewed this one 4 times now (3 extract and 1 all grain). Have detected no taste difference between extract and all grain, so I'm sticking with the extract kit for this one (extract is a bit darker in color and I assume this was due to the malt syrup). This is a great brew to wean your friends off of those mass produced 'lite' beers. I may dry hop next time for a little added 'hoppiness'. (Posted on 2/19/12)

purchased this kit for my first attempt at brewing...it turned out pretty good, darker in color than pictured, starts out smooth, a little bitter on the finish, more than i would like. overall a really good beer. i will be brewing this one again soon, going to use only a .5 oz of the cluster hops to see if i can eliminate the bitter finish...might add .5 oz of cascade hops late in the boil for aroma... will post again later on my altered version... (Posted on 12/27/11)

This ale is the whole shebang! Nice malt start, hops next and just a good feeling all around. I bought this as a no brainer for my father-in-law with his pedestrian taste in Molsen, but I like this is a regular thirst quencher now. Thanks to NB for coming up with a basic beer! I'll have another......................... (Posted on 12/25/11)

i brewed this one twice now and both batches have turned out great. this beer is light in taste and really well balanced, which makes it a good beer for everyone, even the women that only like bud light type beers. will probably do this one again soon, but first i have to try the carribou slobber brown... sounds great! (Posted on 12/8/11)

I brewed this back in April (2011), in anticipation of having a refreshing thirst quenching homebrew for the summer. This was perfect for that purpose - a seasonal thirst quencher, ideal for relaxing with after hours of lawn mowing and yard work. I found that the sp. grains added a hint of honey like sweetness in balnace to the dryness of this brew. I did add some things to this kit: .5lbs Pilsen DME and .5lbs Corn sugar as well as Willamette hops for a flavor, aroma, and dry hop addition. I added the corn sugar b/c I wanted to bump up the ABV w/out altering the body too much, however looking back 1lb of dme instead of the .5lb corn sugar .5lb dme would have been fine. Also I could have used a little more flavor hop. This beer does get better with some aging, as the malt flavors meld, however I would definately finish it by the end of summer (not that this should be a problem). This kit serves as a great base for a seasonal summer thirst quencher, perfect after a long hot day of yard work. (Posted on 11/27/11)

I have brewed this about 5 times and love it. I do other beers two, but almost always have this one tap and it goes faster than any others. Not a typical cream ale. Love it. Well liked by beer snobs and the Bud Light crowd alike. (Posted on 11/10/11)

I was brewing a few high gravity beers that my wife is not too big on so I brewed this one for her on 9/30/11. Safale 05 yeast. Added 1-1/4 lb wildflower honey at flameout. Fermented at 66-69 dgrees. OG was 1052 FG 1012. Racked to keg on 10/14 and force carbed with Co2 at 10 lbs and 40 degrees to carb in my chest freezer with a Johnson digital controller. Hooked the gas line to the beer out post to get the bubbles to rise through the beer. Installed lines correctly and tried one on 10/17. Very good carb and great taste. Tried again on 10/19 and kind of flat meaning the beer was not at max solution when I tried the first one. Rocked the keg a few times for a couple of days and the carb is now fine. What an easy good beer this one is. Wife loves it and so do I. (Posted on 10/21/11)

I ordered this kit along with my Ultimate Starter kit from NB. I was pleased with the results and shared with friends and family. Now, after brewing everything from American Lager to Wheat Ales with coriander & orange, this is still the one most referred too by my wife and our friends. They loved it and it was my first attempt ever! If your new to the game I highly recommend this kit. I will definately brew it again. Can't wait to see what they'll think of the Honey Kolsch kit I've got conditioning in the keg right now. You kick {rear end} NB, cheers! (Posted on 9/22/11)

This is the first homebrew that I have made and I must say it turned out GREAT! The color is darker than pictured, more of a copper color, but it tastes and smells wonderful. It starts off floral and ends sweet. I will brew this one again in the spring for summer. (Posted on 8/30/11)

This was the second time I've made this and it was better than the first. I used a Johnson Controls analog temp controller this time to keep frementation temp ~65F. I brewed this for our annual August family beach trip and it recieved overwhelmingly positive response. This will be a regular in the beer fridge.... (Posted on 8/8/11)

I took this kit and changed it a little bit. The notable ingredient changes that I made are that I added two more ounces of hops (Willamette, which is one of my favorites) and I also added a pound of orange blossom honey at flame-out. I pitched
Safale US-05 right in without any preparation. It gave me a crisp and clean ale with a nice sweet and mild orange like flavor with low bitterness but it balances everything out nicely. It is a much sweeter beer than I usually drink, or brew for that matter, but it is a nice change and I think a lot of other people with really like it. I can't speak for the NB kit exactly, but as usual their ingredients seem top-notch and made a great beer. This kit was super simple and easy to modify and I will brew my derived recipe again from it, as well as other attempts to doctor it up. (Posted on 7/26/11)

This was my second extract beer that I attempted. I left it in my better bottle for an extra 2 weeks, mostly because work wouldn't allow the time and I had great help from the forum! After bottling and allow the bottles to sit for two weeks I tried some and wasn't to happy with it. The carbonation was off, which I know is brewer error and not beer error. I waited another week and tried again and I was very happy with the results! We've been having heat index's over 110 here recently and let me tell you this beer hits the spot after doing yard work! I will be brewing this again for next summer! (Posted on 7/17/11)

My father and I brewed this one a couple of weeks after we brewed an Irish red ale. That way we could bottle both batches the same day! Well I don't know what we did wrong but its been 2 weeks since bottling and there is no carbination to the beer! The Irish red ale turned out great but not the cream ale... We followed the directions to a 'T' too. I was really bumed because all the reviews where great and I was really excited to try it but when we poured it into the glass for the first time I knew right away we had a problem because there was no head to the beer. Oh well i guess. I won't let it stop me from brewing again!!! (Posted on 7/17/11)

I got this kit as a gift. I didn't think it would be my kind of beer since I normally drink IPAs and other "beer snob" beers. I turned out to be one of my favorite session beers It is crisp, clean, and refreshing with just enough flavor complexity to keep you interested.

I got some lemony off-flavors because I didn't do much to control the fermentation temperature, but I liked it that way. After about a month, the lemon went away and left a more traditional Cream Ale taste. I'll definitely brew this one again. (Posted on 6/26/11)

My brew club and I brewed beers to give out at a beer fest this spring. Of all the beers we served, this one ran out first. We called it "Creamy Dreamy" It was a huge hit with the women. Don't get me wrong, the guys liked it a lot too---but if you guys have been wondering if there is a beer to make that the ladies will love, give this a try. I not only like this beer, but I brewed it as well. Smooth summer quencher. (Posted on 6/14/11)

I wanted to take the leap into kegging and this sounded like a "safe" bet. Well I have to say that it is one tasty brew! And my kegging experiment turned out perfect. I did add 1 lb of honey at the end of the boil which increased the ABV and body leaving a hint of honey in the finish. I served it to my brew club mates and they all gave the thumbs up. For $20 you can't go wrong! (Posted on 6/11/11)

I wanted to use this kit as a basis for my first attempt at straying from a recipe. I made the kit per the instructions (adding 1lb of Turbinado sugar with the LME), and left it in primary for two weeks. In the meantime, I placed a split vanilla bean and the peel of 10 lemons into a cup worth of vodka...and let it also sit for two weeks. I poured the lemon mixture into my carboy, and transferred the beer on top for another two weeks. I filtered, transferred to keg, and let age for another two weeks.

It tastes fantastic, with a mild lemon twist and just a hint of vanilla. This beer went down so easily, that I filled 5 pint glasses over a two-hour span after band practice...and then it hit me all at once. I woke up on the floor of the band room 6-hours later. WHAM!

Anyway, this is an excellent variation...but be careful! (Posted on 5/12/11)

was not as clear or blonde as the picture and reveiws. just went to bottle so we will see the taste because that is all that matters. i like the whole lawnmower beer because hydration is important when you are outside. more to follow (Posted on 5/11/11)

I am new to the home brew thing. I have made plenty of Mr. Beers, but was always afraid to try my hand at real brewing. This Cream Ale was my first and I’m glad I picked this one to start with. I got just over two cases with this kit and because it was my first one I gave a bunch of it away for friends and family to try. I have had not even one complaint so far. As a matter of fact, even the non-beer drinkers loved it.

I just wanted to thank Northern Brewers for making my first experience brewing a great one.

this is my 2nd brew, and it is awesome.. I actually kegged half of it, adn bottled the other half... the keg beer was too young, and it tasted ok... but the ones i put in the bottle turned out sooooo good.. very smooth creamy taste, atop a nice full flavored beer. (Posted on 5/7/11)

Not my all-time favorite style, but this beer is actually quite decent. Real easy to brew. Mine is still young (only bottled it 10 days ago), but it's already quite smooth and tastey. Reminds me a bit of a wheat or wit. Try it with a slice of orange on a warm afternoon. Not bad at all... (Posted on 5/4/11)

I Really liked this brew. I decided to add some honey to it just to see what it would taste like...it increased the alcohol level a lil bit, but it tasted great!...it was my first brew ever and I think Im hooked now...just gotta get the wife hooked... (Posted on 5/3/11)

The first time we visited our son in college in Ohio I opened the livingroom fridge and found Old Milwaukee and Milwaukees Best. Not a problem I survived college on Rhinelander and Leinies for $2.99 a case returnables, in the subsaquent years I realized that life is too short for bad beer, so, whenever we would visit we would throw a couple of cases of Spotted Cow in the trunk ( not to be shared with his housemates).
I brewed this as per NB instructions without boil overs or mishaps. First batch using a wort chiller which dropped my chill time from 20 to 5 minutes. Cold crashed the final 48 hours. Beer is darker than the picture, nice head, nice aroma, but it tastes like Spotted Cow. How, and Why I don't know. No off flavors, no citrus or lemon flavors, I assume I just got lucky. (Posted on 4/11/11)

This is a nice easy summer beer. It's simple and doesn't have a lot of layers of flavor, but the flavor it has is very balanced, smooth and refreshing. It's a really easy beer to enjoy and as such they are going fast. Being a 4 week recipe this is a great kit to have around when you have another brew with long conditioning times. I'll be sure to do this one again. (Posted on 4/11/11)

I brewed this one just as a test batch. Didnt have high hopes. The truth be told this went from no hope to AWESOME in like 2.5 sec. First taste I wasnt to sure about but after the second sip I was hooked. I would recommend this as one of the regular list. I agree this would be a great summer beer. Cheers. (Posted on 3/14/11)

My eagerness got the better of me and I had to pop one open and try it/make sure carbonation was going well.....after 4 DAYS....carbonation was good and it was 100% drinkable....just a little on the flat side....AWESOME kit and great beer. Do yourself a favor and make this, no matter the skill level....you wont regret it. (Posted on 3/9/11)

This is the first time I've brewed this beer, and it's interesting how its flavor changed. After 1 week of bottle conditioning, it was very floral and fruity. After 2 weeks, the pilsner bitterness came out. I enjoyed both flavor profiles, but preferred the more bitter one. I did have to stick my bottles in the fridge to stop the conditioning. They got more bitter as time went on. Because it was so easy, this could easily be a staple beer in my house. (Posted on 3/3/11)

I wanted a lighter beer for some of my "Coors Light" friends. This was perfectand a good beer. I agree with the person that said he would add fruit. I am going to do this one again for summer and add some blueberry. It reminds me a bit of Blue Moon with a little less flavor. (Posted on 2/27/11)

I brewed this kit as the first to go into my new home draft system. Force carbonated with CO2, shook it, etc. After a few days beer was shooting out of the tap and the carbonation wasn't holding right (user error). I bled some of the CO2 and after a week and a half, carbonation and beer were perfect! Far exceeded my expectation--I was expecting a light lager-type with little complexity. So much more than that! (Posted on 2/24/11)

I just tried this after only a week and half in the bottle and its great, perfect carbonation, head, etc. I can't imagine how this will taste after a few more weeks of bottle conditioning! (Posted on 2/2/11)

This was my second batch that I ever made. WOW. Seriously, my friends loved this and so did I! Huge hit. Follow the extract recipe guidelines and maybe bottle condition for a week longer - maybe. It was great either way. HUGE WIN!!!!!! (Posted on 1/15/11)

I enjoyed this brew. It was nothing special but just about anyone who likes beer will get along with it.
In the description it mentions that it doesn't get better with age. They lie! After in bottles for 6 weeks it was far superior than it was after two weeks. (Posted on 10/25/10)

I originally bought this beer to brew something very light and crisp for my wife who is not a huge beer drinker, her loss, but it turned out to be a heavier beer than expected. The flavor was very good none the less as it says it's a cream ale so it had a good mouthy feel to it with a slightly creamy but easy drinkability. Alcohol content was slightly higher than expected. So needless to say she had about two glasses out of the 5 gallon batch, but my father and I sure enjoyed it! Overall a very good beer. (Posted on 9/9/10)

JUly 4th family reunion - I was charged with making the brew. I chose this kit since many of my family drink simple commercial beers. Didn't want to kill anyone with a double IPA or anything. It was a big hit. Even my sister-in-law who only drinks appletini's asked me to make her a batch. Others asked me as well. The 5 gallon Corny lasted less than 2 hours. I had a few cases of backup commercial beer in case that happened. No one wanted the Coors Lite once the good stuff was gone. Just ordered two more of the kits to fill my orders. Thanks NB for excellent kits!(Posted on 9/8/10)

My wife thought my first few batches were kind of bitter. When I decided to make this one, I altered the recipe slightly :
1. Added 1 lb cane suger to bump up O.G.
2. Made it as a two stage fermentation, and added gelatin at start of 2nd fermentation to clarify
3. bumped up priming sugar a little bit to improve carbonation

This beer is spot-on with the style guide and is VERY easy to make. Even better, the beer is ready to drink in 21-31 days, depending on how you ferment.

I fermented it at a lower temp to reduce acetyls and phenols, which shouldn't be that much of a problem anyway.

I think that even though this is a good beginner's brew, it also could be a staple for seasoned brewers to throw into the summertime parties and BBQ.

I also keg my beer and allow at least a week in the keg at 35 F/ 2 C and gave it a low 8 psi because I don't consider Cream Ale to have a super-carbonation ratio. In fact, I would prefer it to be on the low side at about 2.2-2.5 CO2.

Lastly, let me pour my love for Safale US 05. If you aren't using this dry yeast, then shame on you. It is the best all-around yeast and gives a perfect pint to this Cream Ale.

Nysrock
"Me and a buddy tried this for our first beer attempt. Having tried a few meads in the past I had a lot of nutrients and yeast starter laying around so I added them. I don't know if it changed it much but I calculated the ABV around 8%-9%!!!!"

you are a [special guy] and you are full of [fascinating insights]. learn how to add/calculate nutrients and yeast starters will not give you that much ABV out of a 1.040 OG beer you need way more ferment-able sugars.
buy this beer it is yummy. (Posted on 8/9/10)

Me and a buddy tried this for our first beer attempt. Having tried a few meads in the past I had a lot of nutrients and yeast starter laying around so I added them. I don't know if it changed it much but I calculated the ABV around 8%-9%!!!!

We just tried the first bottle the other night and wow! It tasted great and packed a nice punch. I will definitely make this beer again. (Posted on 7/28/10)

I brewed this back in the Summer of '09. When I think of a Cream Ale I think something along the lines of Little Kings Cream Ale, and believe me, there are no similarities between the two. I did a full boil, yet the brew turned out dark brown. It was also sickening sweet but with a bitter aftertaste. I used the recommended liquid yeast and kept my temps in the optimum range in a swamp cooler. It tasted like it didn't attenuate. I kept it in primary three weeks though so it should have had plenty of time to do so. I have had great luck with all my other NB kits though and have even done well with their all grain ones. This is one I would pass on though. (Posted on 7/16/10)

Ever watch the movie "The Jerk"? When Steve Martin says he has a "Special Purpose"? I have brewed several home brews but here is a recipe for one of my knock you off your chair favorites that I label "Special Purpose": try mixing this recipe with 5 Lbs sugar (30 min), and 2 oz German Hallertau hops (30 min and 5 min). Add 5 peeled and diced potatoes to wort before pitching yeast. leave in primary 2 weeks and in the secondary for a month, then bottle. Wait an additional 1-2 months in bottle before finding your "Special Purpose". Carefull it approaches 13% alcohol, but you won't know it by taste! This recipe also works great with Kent Goldings hops....bottoms up! (Posted on 7/8/10)

First time brewer here and picked this kit from the reviews and the short conditioning period. Overall the beer tastes pretty good and everyone who tried it (even the connoisseurs) were pretty impressed by the 1st batch.

The beer is a bit darker than the picture but most likely my error since I discovered some charred extract at the bottom of the kettle when cleaning. The flavor is definitely hoppier than your avg. American lager with more body and great head retention pouring into an ice cold pint glass.

I kegged the beer after 3 weeks in the primary and tossed into my kegerator for a week on on 12psi. Of course being a noob I poured a glass after a few days and the beer was a little hazy and tasted OK, but had this lingering tartness I can now describe as “green”. For some reason I was under the impression that if you were kegging beer it would be ready sooner but I discovered that isn’t the case since the beer still needs to condition and clarify in the keg as opposed to bottles!

The tartness dissipated as the week went on and exactly as the spec sheet said, “ready in 4 weeks”, the beer tasted great. It’s now going on week 5 and the beer tastes even better and going fast. I will definitely be making this one again.(Posted on 6/21/10)

I can see how this would be an extremely popular kit. My batch came out pale, golden and beautiful - perfectly clear. The aroma is just ok for me... taste is very light and crisp. I can see it being a good base for adding a fruit extract flavor or maybe even just tweaking the recipe slightly for more hops, etc.

If you are a homebrewer with a desire to cater to the non-initiated that might be used to drinking BMC-type beers, it would make sense to keep this around. It's totally approachable, easy-drinking. (Posted on 6/18/10)

Just tapped the keg last night. Followed directions perfectly. Excellent light beer. My favorite beer would normally be a very hoppy pale ale, but I like all beers. I will also admit that I truly enjoy PBR on hot summer days.

This cream ale kit is very very good. It has a light enough flavor for my wife to enjoy. However, there is enough complexity that I can definitely appreciate it for more than a thirst-quenching beer. You can let this one sit on the back of your tongue and pick up some hops (and something else that is new to me).

I will definitely be making this one again. . . and again. (Posted on 6/8/10)

A very good basic cream ale, but a little too light. I've added 8oz of dry malt to the boil and 4 oz each of rice flakes and corn flake to increase the body. In addition at 10 min I've added a 1/1 oz of liberty hops---it just makes a good beer better. (Posted on 5/14/10)

This beer just doesn't do it for me. I had a hard time enjoying it and the other people who tried it didn't get very excited about it. I know it tasted the way it was supposed to, but it's just not for me. Someone said it tasted like it had lemon in it. I guess I picked up the flavor they were talking about. Hard to explain, so I'll stick with that its kind of boring and not all that great. Not terrible, but there are a lot better beers to brew. (Posted on 5/12/10)

This was my first extract brew and so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I was looking for a low IBU brew to serve at my daughter's baptism. To my surprise it took 4 weeks of bottle conditioning for the bitterness to subside. I am looking forward to trying other styles (brown ale, etc), but I would be surprised if I came back to this one in the summer or at events with commercial beer drinkers. (Posted on 5/10/10)

Sweet malt profile and a good head. It is easy to drink and smooth. Finished very fast from boil to the bottle. I bought 3 of these 1 was done normal 2 was done with 3/4 a pound of raspberries and the 3 was done with 2 1/2 pounds of raspberries. This beer took in the raspberries taste nicely. There was no off flavors in any of them. They where all keep at about 69. (Posted on 5/7/10)

OK, it's not yellow. It looks and tastes nothing like the standard light commercial beers. But that's a good thing in my view. I was wanting to make a nice pale ale that wasn't too over the top and this one fits the bill. Three weeks in primary, bottled, two weeks of rest and presto. Used the US-05 yeast and it's clear as a bell. (Posted on 5/4/10)

This was my first attempt at brewing beer , and I am very happy with the results . Great beer . Nice creamy head that hangs aroud till the beer is gone . Not as light in color as I expected , but who cares . The kit is excellent . Just follow the instructions and you can't go wrong . Wait at least 10 days after bottling before you open one , and you won't be disappointed . ( I couldn't wait either, but I will next time , and there will definitely be a next time.) If you are attempting to convert light beer drinkers , reduce the hops boil from 60 to 35 minutes . SAhould give you about 16 Ibu according to beer smith . I've already got Honey Kolsch in the fementer, and have World Wide lager waiting on deck . I'm having a blast ! More to follow. (Posted on 5/1/10)

Love it, huge hit with friends. Definitely light body, but surprisingly complex considering how little there is to this brew. Heating up outside now and this beer, really cold, is just outstanding for grilling out with friends, etc. I've hit it with a slice of lemon and that's a great add. Tastes for all the world like a wheat beer, but not the first bit of wheat in it. With the lemon, I think it's similar to a Sam Adams coastal wheat. Light body, very crisp, not too complicated, but a nice, satisfying beer. Highly recommended. (Posted on 4/24/10)

This brew turned out alright. I'm not jumping up and down for it tough. No head retention, no creamy taste, color too dark, extreme chill haze. I could go on but overall it does the job of getting my friends and family drunk. Cheers! (Posted on 4/3/10)

A few us guys got together and started brewing. This cream ale was our 6th brew. Our best brew to date. Extremely happy with it and we are brewing it again. I can see this as being one of our staple brews that we will keep coming back to. (Posted on 3/23/10)